Amusement device



Nov. 17, 1959 R. H. CLIFTON AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Dec. 11; 1957 PAY H. CLIFTON United States Patent C) DEVICE Ray H. Clifton, Elgin, Ill.

Application December 11, 1957, Serial No. 702,156 3Claims. (Cl. 46-6) The present invention relates to improvements 'in amusement devices and more particularly to a novelly constructed animated toy apparatus useful for the blowing of soap bubbles. The device of the present invention relates more specifically to an inexpensive, ruggedly constructed toy apparatus for blowing bubbles and which is provided with novel means in the form of a movable object arranged to be positioned, selectively, so as to be enclosed within the bubble at the time same is blown or which may be positioned initially outside a formed bubble and subsequently moved into the interior of said bubble. The device is comprised generally of a tubular stem having a bubble forming disc on its end and through which the stem extends. The disc carries an arm that is movably and detachably secured at one'of its ends to said disc and which carries an object on its free end capable of being selectively"positioned within or outside of the bubble while or after it is formed on the face of the disc. When not in use, the device may be easily and quickly disassembled and packaged compactly.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an amusement device of the character above referred to.

Another object is to provide a bubble blowing apparatus which is easily assembled and is very efficient and highly entertaining in .its use.

Anotherobject is to provide atoy device of a character that includes'novel means to facilitate the blowing of bubbles and novel meansassociated therewith that is movable into positions to be enclosed within or be retained outside of a'bubble formed by the device.

Another object is to provide a deviceof the character described'wbich is not expensive to manufacture, thus making it particularly attractive as a toy, pricewise, and which can easily be assembled and used in an efficient and entertaining manner by persons having no special skill in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, my invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawings in which the vsame characters I of reference are employed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings:

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Figure 1 is a perspective view of the toy apparatus showing a bubble formed thereon;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on line 22 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an axial sectional view thereof; and,

Figure 4 is a front end elevational view thereof.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the toy apparatus of the present invention includes a tubular stem 11 internally and externally tapered at one end, as at 12, to have a snug .fit in an axial opening 13 formed in the hub 14 of a disc or plate 15. The disc preferably has a plurality of substantially triangular-shaped cut-outs 16 defining a rim 17 and radial spokes 18 connecting the rim, to the hub portion. I

The device, insofar as it has been described, is useful for the blowing of soap bubbles. This is accomplished by immersing the disc 15 in a body of soapy or other suitable fluid having the affinity of forming a tenacious film, with the stem extending upwardly so that when removed, a fluid film adheres to the front face of the disc. The free end or mouthpiece of the stem 11, is then placed in the mouth and air is blowntherethrough. The expelled air leaving the stem 11 at the internally tapered end thereof acts on the fluid film adhering to the disc in a manner to cause said film to assume the shape of a bubble, substantially as illustrated at 19. The bubble will include as part of its wall, a film layer 21 that overlies the front surface of the disc and bridges the segmental cut-outs 16.

It has been established that when the bubble is reinforced over a part of its surface, such as occurs where it contacts the rim 17. and radial spokes 18 of the disc 14, an object, not excessively large, may beflenclosed within the bubble at the instant of blowing the same, orsuch objectmay be moved into and out of the body of the bubble, through the film wall thereof, without causing same to burst.

In order to utilize this characteristic, the present device has embodied therein a novelly mounted object that may be .movedinto and out of the interior of the bubble se lectively. This means may comprise a pivotally-mounted L-shaped arm 22 having an object, such as the ball 23 illustrated or a toy or other device, removably suspended from one leg thereof by means of a strand 24. One leg of the arm 22 extends through a slotted opening 25 in the peripheral area of the disc and it has its rearwardlydisposed other leg pivotally mounted, by means of a pivot pin 26, between spaced bearing flanges 27 formed integral with and extending rearwardly from the back face of the disc 14. Preferably, the pivoted arm end is bifurcated, as shown at 28, to permit its snap separation from the pin 26 when use of the device without said arm is desired. The forwardly e tending free end of the arm carries the strand 24 suspending the object 23.

When the disc 15 is in the positions illustrated in Fig ures 1 and 2, the arm hangs downwardly radially with respect to the disc and the object carried thereby is retained outside of the bubble. When the disc is rotated into a position substantially as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the arm 22 swings about its pivot inwardly radially and comes to rest in a position substantially perpendicular to the plane of the disc by reason of it now resting against one end of the slotted opening 25. With the arm so positioned, both it and the object are enclosed within the bubble.

When the bubble 19 is blown while the disc is substantially in the position shown in Figure 3, the air expelled through the stem 11 moves out of the tapered end thereof in such fashion as to distribute it substantially uniformly radially without direct contact with and disturbance of the object 23. Such disturbance would have the tendency to interfere with the formation of the bubble through possible rupture of the film as it grows in size and moves outwardly against, around and past the object so as to completely enclose the same.

The disc can now be rotated into the Figure 1 position without destruction of the bubble. As shown, the object 23 and substantially all of the arm now is outside of the bubble. This transition, without destruction of the bubble, is believed to result from the presence on the arm 22 and object 23, of sufiicient moisture to enable the film to be ruptured by passage of the arm and object therethrough, but not to be collapsed, owing to adhesion of the film to the surface of the arm and object as they move through the film. As soon as the arm and object, or any portions thereof are carried through the film, the film is restored to its initial condition.

A similar condition obtains when the arm and object are carried into the bubble from the outside. As shown in Figure 2, a small portion of the arm only lies within the area of the disc and it is this portion which is wetted and has the film adhered thereto. As the disc 15 is rotated from the Figure 1 position into the Figure 3 position, the arm 22 will swing inwardly downwardly and in so doing will paSs through the bubble film without causing it to collapse because, so far as applicant is aware, of the affinity of the film for the arm, even though its continuity is interrupted by passage of the arm and object therethrough.

Although the object 23 is shown as being regular in shape and having smooth surfaces, it has been found that any type of object may be used successfully and this is so even though the object surfaces may be irregular, sharp and rough.

The herein disclosed structure is inexpensively formed of plastic material and is easily assembled and disassembled and may be used with or without the suspended object with equal facility and it affords a highly-entertaining, easily-operated toy.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that, while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An amusement device comprising a tubular stem having a mouthpiece at one end, a plate apertured centrally to receive the other end of the stem, said plate having circumferential spaced openings therein and being adapted to be immersed in a body of fluid so as to attach a fluid film to one face thereof capable of forming a bubble when air is blown through the stem from the mouthpiece end, said plate having an opening adjacent its periphery, an arm extending through and pivotally mounted at one end in said opening, and an object suspended from said arm, said arm being movable by gravity in a radial plane about the pivot for selective positioning of the arm and object inside and outside of the bubble when the plate is rotated about an axis perpendicular to its plane.

2. An amusement device comprising, a hollow stern open at both ends and internally and externally tapered at one end, a disc having a tapered axial opening to receive the tapered end of said stem firmly, said disc having mutually spaced substantially triangular-shaped cutouts defining a rim and radiating spokes and being adapted to have a soap film adhered thereto in the form of a bubble, an arm pivotally mounted at one end adjacent to the perimeter of the disc for movement by gravity in a radial plane into and out of the bubble when said disc is rotated about its axis, and an object suspended from-the free end of said arm adapted to be carried with the arm into and out of the bubble.

3. An amusement device comprising an elongated tubular stern having a mouthpiece at one end and internally and externally tapered at its other end to provide a constricted nozzle, a disc apertured axially to receive the tapered end of the stem snugly, said disc being adapted to be immersed in a body of fluid so as to attach a fluid film to a front face thereof capable of forming a bubble when air is blown through the stern and out of the axial aperture, said disc having a radial slot closely adjacent to its periphery and spaced flanges on the other face of the disc one on each side of said slot, an L-shaped arm having one of its legs pivotally mounted at one end between said flanges and having its other leg projecting through said slot, and an object suspended from said other leg, said arm and object being movable by gravity about the pivot into and out of the bubble through the film thereof when the disc is rotated about its axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 554,555 Whaley Feb. 11, 1896 729,466 Whaley May 26, 1903 1,418,755 Voelchert June 6, 1922 2,305,382 Hagopian Dec. 15, 1942 2,542,100 Sturm Feb. 20, 1951 2,736,988 Fisher Mat. 6, 1956 

